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Aubrey Johnson

Aubrey Johnson is a New York-based vocalist, composer, and educator who specializes in jazz, Brazilian, and creative contemporary music. Aubrey teaches in the jazz programs at Montclair University, Queens College, and in the voice department at Berklee College of Music. She has performed and/or recorded with Billy Childs, Jimmy Cobb, John Patitucci, Janis Siegel (Manhattan Transfer), John Zorn’s Mycale Vocal Quartet, Fred Hersch, among many others. Aubrey recorded on Bobby McFerrin’s 2010 Grammy-nominated release, “VOCAbuLaries”, Arturo O'Farrill's 2020 Grammy Award- winning album “Four Questions”, and on Lyle Mays’ 2021 Grammy Award-winning recording “Eberhard”. Her performing and teaching has taken her throughout the US and Canada and to Central and South America, Europe, and Asia. Aubrey’s debut record, Unraveled, featuring her original music and arrangements and produced by Steve Rodby of the Pat Metheny Group, was released on Outside In Music in March of 2020.

Awards

"Outstanding Performance - Jazz Vocalist" 2010 DownBeat Student Music Awards "Best Jazz Vocalist" 2008 DownBeat Student Music Awards "Outstanding Performance - Jazz Vocalist" 2007 DownBeat Student Music Awards

Hyeseon Hong Jazz Orchestra: Things Will Pass

Read "Things Will Pass" reviewed by Jack Bowers

by Jack Bowers
October 29, 2024

There are a handful of things you should know about Hyeseon Hong (pronounced hay-sun hong), as each of them impacts the scope and purpose of the music on Things Will Pass. First, she is well-versed in the shaping and subtleties of contemporary big-band jazz; second, she was born and raised in Seoul, South Korea; third, she formed her own big band after relocating from Korea to New York City more than a decade ago; fourth, and perhaps most important, she ...

Album Review

The Jamie Baum Septet+: What Times Are These

Read "What Times Are These" reviewed by Angelo Leonardi

by Angelo Leonardi
September 9, 2024

Nella sua nuova incisione Jamie Baum coniuga impegno civile e ricercata varietà di soluzioni musicali con voci e suoni di particolare freschezza. A distanza di sei anni dal precedente Bridges la flautista e compositrice firma l'album più riuscito del suo ensemble, in gran parte rinnovato con l'ingresso del trombettista Jonathan Finlayson, del pianista Luis Perdomo, del bassista Ricky Rodriguez e del percussionista Keita Ogawa accanto ai fidi Jeff Hirshfield alla batteria, Brad Shepik alla chitarra, Chris Komer al ...

Album Review

Aubrey Johnson, Randy Ingram: Play Favorites

Read "Play Favorites" reviewed by Angelo Leonardi

by Angelo Leonardi
April 17, 2024

Il debutto discografico del duo Aubrey Johnson/Randy Ingram nasce dopo una lunga frequentazione tra la cantante e il pianista, frequentazione iniziata quasi per caso nel 2015 in un recital di facoltà e proseguita con costanti esibizioni negli ultimi anni. Docente al Berklee College of Music, Aubrey Johnson ha rivelato le sue alte capacità tecniche ed espressive in svariate collaborazioni (con Billy Childs, John Patitucci, Fred Hersch, Bobby McFerrin ecc...) e soprattutto nel bel debutto del 2020 Unraveled. ...

Album Review

Jamie Baum Septet+: What Times Are These

Read "What Times Are These" reviewed by Katchie Cartwright

by Katchie Cartwright
April 5, 2024

Reading Marge Piercy's poem “To Be of Use" (track two onWhat Times Are These), Jamie Baum could be speaking of herself, one of those “who jump into work head first without dallying in the shadows, who swim off with sure strokes," knowing that “the thing worth doing has a shape that satisfies, clean and evident." What Times Are These is a satisfying form of this sort. Confined to her New York apartment during the Covid-19 lockdown, Baum responded ...

Album Review

Randy Napoleon: The Door is Open: The Music of Gregg Hill

Read "The Door is Open: The Music of Gregg Hill" reviewed by Paul Rauch

by Paul Rauch
February 5, 2024

In and around the formidable jazz studies program at Michigan State University is a plethora of jazz talent devoted to instrumental and compositional excellence. Most of this talent is young, benefiting from a wide array of world-class instructors that includes program director Rodney Whitaker and veteran guitarist Randy Napoleon, among other notables. Within this labyrinth of jazz wisdom in the Detroit / Lansing metroplex is composer Gregg Hill, a former truck driver and tech entrepreneur whose performing ambitions were superseded ...

Liner Notes

Jun Iida: Evergreen

by Gary Fukushima
January 5, 2024

They are everywhere, dotting the undulating terrain of the great Pacific Northwest, from the winding, twisting shorelines of Puget Sound to the mountains that rise in the distance in every direction: the Olympics to the west, the Cascades to the east, Mt. Baker to the north and the majestic Rainier to the south. The trees are a constant, comforting blanket over this land, ever-present, ever-green. Jun lida has called this place home for the past three years, another ...

Album Review

Jun Iida: Evergreen

Read "Evergreen" reviewed by Nicholas F. Mondello

by Nicholas F. Mondello
January 4, 2024

Evergreen from trumpeter/flugelhornist Jun Iida is a textural panorama of multi-cultural jazz flavors, offering original and known fare. Each of the ten tracks is a portrait, and they display fine solo and ensemble playing. To describe Evergreen in one word is to call it “intriguing." “Gooey Butter Cake," one of six originals from Iida, opens things in a jovial, hippity-hop, New Orleans-esque groove which develops into a trumpet-bass solo ride, with solos following from pianist Josh Nelson and ...

Career

Renowned Vocalist And Composer Aubrey Johnson Joins Faculty At NEC

Source: Braithwaite & Katz Communications
October 27, 2012

NEC Grad Johnson To Direct NEC’s Vocal Jazz Ensemble Group to be Featured in Concert on December 12 as part of In the Mix Concert Series New England Conservatory’s Jazz Studies Department has hired vocalist/composer Aubrey Johnson to join the faculty. Johnson, who has deep ties to NEC, will direct the school’s 6-voice vocal jazz ensemble. A versatile vocalist, arranger, and composer, Johnson is in demand as both a leader and side person. She can be heard with legendary drummer ...
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338

Radio

B.J. Jansen Interviewed Aubrey Johnson on the Jazz Life

Source: JM Creative
August 11, 2009

B.J. Jansen Interviewed Aubrey Johnson, Creator of the Jazz Half This interview is Part 13 of Jansen's Jazz Industry Talks, exploring the future of the Jazz Industry behind the music. The Jazz Half is found here. Jansen created his show, “The Jazz Life," to bring audiences to the next generation of jazz artists who struggle to receive airplay in the United States. The programming format of “The Jazz ...
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176

Performance / Tour

Greg Loughman Trio Featuring Aubrey Johnson at Ryles (Boston) on August 4th

Source: Michael Ricci
July 27, 2009

As part of its ongoing Artist Showcase series, Ryles welcomes back the Greg Loughman Trio with special guest, 2008 Downbeat Student Music Awards' “Best Jazz Vocalist" Aubrey Johnson, Tuesday August 4, 8:30pm ($7 cover). Bassist Greg Loughman once again steps into the bandleader role for another appearance at Ryles. A year ago almost to the day, Loughman held a CD release party at Ryles of his current CD, Sinistral, which features original compositions and original settings of traditional standard jazz ...
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Primary Instrument

Vocals

Location

New York City

Willing to teach

Advanced only

Credentials/Background

Montclair State University - jazz department Queens College - jazz department Berklee College of Music - voice department New England Conservatory - vocal jazz ensemble director